Too many for me: 1400-1600. Even though that is within my range. I have decided to lop off calories at every meal. That will be hard at supper since that is when I eat the most calories. I will have to eat more slowly and not go back for seconds. My biggest problem.

I eat around 1700 calories a day at 4' 10", and I have 19 lbs to go, although I don't want to lose quicker because this is for life, not a shortcut. I am still losing.

I also lift weights 3 days a week. Sure, the weight loss is much slower, but it's more sustainable and, more importantly, I haven't gained the weight back since Nov. 2011 when I topped my weight at 156 lbs. (129 soon to be 128 per my scale the other day). This may change when I am getting closer to my GW, but I'll have to see because I plan to lift heavier weights in the long run.

YMMV, of course. Slow but steady is my motto like the turtle in my ticker. :)

RAMBLINROSE123
Posts:
75
4/7/13 8:55 P

Thanks for all the comments. I redid my goal weight loss program. It is sad to see my 23 lbs. lost go down to just 1 lb. lost. But the results are still real. Anyway, my calorie range stayed the same and I will stay within that range. 1200-1500. As long as I keep exercising my weight should go in the right direction.

I agree that you are probably not eating enough. My low range is 1500 and my high range is 1850, but that's only if I remain in the 1000 calories burned goal I set for myself each week. If a week goes by and I have burned 1400 or so then I know it's ok to be above 1850 a couple days. Update your fitness goals to reflect how many calories you burn a week and it may adjust your ranges.

I'm having a hard time eating enough for the amount of exercise I am doing. I'm just not hungry. I should be eating around 1600 calories a day but I'm lucky if I get to 1400. My scale isn't moving much this week. Was trying to get in some extra exercise before going on vacation but it seems to have backfired on me.

8HEATHER
Posts:
63
4/6/13 5:24 P

my range is 1310-1660 set to lose 0.5 pound per week but I average about 1500. I am not recording exercise formally right now but I did the setup for light activity as I have three kids and a full time job and we are a fairly active family hikes and biking etc. that keeps me busy even with the housework alone! Right now it seems right. I have lost 11 pounds in 8 weeks. I set my goal at 135 but now I think I might be able to get to 128. That was my comfortable weight pre kids 11 years ago. We'll see if I start really exercising I think I could do it. See what happens if you extend your goal to only lose 1 pound a week. I switched mine early on becausr I decided 1500 calories was something I could really live with long term and I decided in yhe end a few more months didn't matter but surprisingly I have been losing a little over a pound per week even with one or two days a week eating at the top. Find something that feels better for you and I think you will be more successful in the long run. If you feel to deprived can you really stick with it? Remember to get the roght nutrients too you MUST have quality foods when restricting calories in order for it to be livable.

I used a total daily expenditure calculator to figure out how many calories I should be having. I started off eating 1200 calories as that seems to be the magic number, but I have upped my intake to about 1500 with room to go over, or under. That is with minimal exercise, aside from walking.

http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced

I'm losing a maintaining my loss better than I did at 1200.

WHOLENEWME79
Posts:
950
4/6/13 2:38 P

At a calorie defict you are probably not gaining muscle. Frankly speaking, you probably are not eating enough. I get that people think they need to eat less to lose, but your body doesn't work that way. It needs to have a certain number of calories to perform activities and if it does not get enough, it will hold on to every calorie you consume.

Also, because of your weight, you probably are not fat enough to lose 2lbs a week. I can, because I am 5'6" and over 200lbs, but you weight far less than that so 2lbs a week isn't as reasonable.

Have you updated your spark trackers? Does it accurately show number of calories burned and consumed? I'd guess you probably need to be eating in the 1300-1500 range at least, especially if you exercise.

Best of luck.

SUNSHINE_ANGEL1
Posts:
765
4/6/13 1:41 P

My range is 1210 to 1560 I am 5.5 and at present I weight 253 lbs. My highest weight was 278 lbs.

One thing to point out, Rose, is that at your weight and amount to lose 2 pounds per week is not reasonable. Set your goals and your spark timeline to .5 to 1 pound per week, and see what that gives your range to be.

From November 1, 2012 until today, my average intake is 1316 calories/day -- but I usually only eat about 1200-1260. The higher number comes from the fact that I eat about 2500 calories over the course of a day 1-2 times/month. This works for me to lose 1 lb/week - not more - even though I work out intensely for about 6-7 hours/week. According to all the math, I should be losing 2 lbs/week but I'm happy with just one -- as long as it's going in the right direction, right?

BUNNYKICKS
Posts:
2,433
4/6/13 12:55 P

Honestly Rose, that's the best thing to do. If you find 1250 to be a painful struggle, it would be hard to stick with... if, for an extra 100 calories a day or so, you can buy yourself some comfort, DO IT. If you lose an average 1.5#/week instead of 2 but feel GOOD the whole way through the process, that is a big win :)

1200 - 1600 cals is my range at 5' 5" 122lbs I am weight training 4 days a week and doing yoga 2 days, so I average 1500 cals a day. I'm not trying to lose weight, my goal is to build muscle.

~Meme

RAMBLINROSE123
Posts:
75
4/6/13 12:48 P

Wow, thanks for the feedback everyone, my jaw dropped at some of the calorie intakes. That is great that you are still able to loose weight with that. I think what is making me think I need to eat less is that the number on the scale doesn't seem to be moving down any more. But I am probably just gaining muscle mass. I think I just may only weigh in once a month or at least every other week.

I exercise every other day for 30 min. to an hour and a half and lately I've been feeling very tired. So, I'll let myself eat 1300- 1500 calories a day and see how I feel next week.

Thanks again, you are all so helpful.

BUNNYKICKS
Posts:
2,433
4/6/13 12:26 P

I stick within the 1200-1550 range very consistently... I do NOT strive for 1200/day, I strive to "average out" to about 1350/day over the course of a week. So, some days 1200, some days 1500..

WHOLENEWME79
Posts:
950
4/6/13 12:25 P

I usually get from 1400-1600 a day, very top of my range and I do just fine. Plenty of energy, losing inches (I don't watch the scale that much), and I am never hungry.

I took a minute to average how much I have lost per week since I restarted this program and it looks like I am averaging about 1.5lbs per week, which isn't too bad.

I'm suppose to be taking in 1200 cals a day I noticed I do not i'm usually anywhere from 800-950..and even so i'm really not losing much weight :/ It seems the only time I hit the 1200 is if I have a glass of wine or a beer with dinner..

I just ran the average report for the last month and my average is 1428. I'm averaging 1.5 pounds per week and I'm happy with that. I read that 3 percent of what you have left to lose is an appropriate goal for a week.

Plus, the 1250 would be the lower end of your range. I'd imagine where you are eating would still be in range. Mine is 1200 to 1550.

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